OF the 25 goals scored in the FA Premiership over the weekend, it would be difficult to exaggerate the importance of those credited to Gary Kelly and Steve Staunton.

In terms of team contributions, they were both critical. Kelly's strike opened the door to Leeds United's win at Southampton and Staunton's late volley secured a precious 2-1 success for Aston Villa in their midlands derby against Coventry City.

Yet, the greater significance for the two Irishmen - coincidentally, both born in Drogheda - was the stimulus they provided for careers which have been in some trouble in recent times.

Kelly's problems, in fact, stretch back to the start of the year when, from a position in which he rated as one of the outstanding full backs in Britain, his form dwindled at an astonishing rate.

The number two shirt which was his, almost by right, during the closing phase of the Charlton era, was lost and has yet to be regained in Mick McCarthy's rebuilding programme.

And his decline was rendered complete when, eventually, he was left out of Howard Wilkinson's team for a spell, as the decline at Elland Road eventually assumed the dimensions of crisis.

That the collective collapse at Leeds, eventually leading to the replacement of Wilkinson by George Graham, was a factor in Kelly's problems, is scarcely in question. In the stampede to arrest the collapse, Wilkinson, almost certainly, miscalculated in the balance between youth and maturity and the team performances suffered.

The other, perhaps, more pertinent factor in the Irishman's fall from favour was his non-stop programme over a period of more than two years, following his promotion to the national team against Russia in March 1994.

Significantly, that is a point conceded by both Charlton and Wilkinson but it is not one which is endorsed by the player. "To be honest, I don't see bow a footballer of my age can be burned out as some people say," says Kelly.

"At 20 or 22, all you want to do is play - the question of tiredness, or losing appetite for the game, doesn't come into it. I had a few problems with my knee, nothing serious, but the bottom line is that I wasn't as dissatisfied with my form as others apparently were."

On his prospects of returning to the national team for the resumption of the World Cup programme in Macedonia in April, he is realistic.

"I thought I played well at Southampton, in fact I've been reasonably happy with my performances in the last few weeks. But at the end of the day it's up to others to decide if I'm doing well enough to get back into the Ireland team.

"I've missed the sense of involvement with the lads in the squad but the bigger loss, by far, is missing out on the chance of improving my game by playing against international teams."

Staunton's absence from the Ireland team for the scoreless draw against Iceland caught the mood of a disturbing period in his career in which he has struggled with recurring injury problems.

From a situation in which he appeared to be set fair to become the first player to win a 100 caps for the Republic of Ireland, he has found himself blown off course by a series of injuries, stretching back almost 18 months.

In at least some instances, his troubles emanated from his enthusiasm to get back into action at times when he would have been better advised to temper ambition with caution. But now, at last, he is happy that he has put the worst of his problems behind him.

"Every time you come back into the side after injury, you genuinely believe. that you are fit to play," he said. "It doesn't always work out like that, but just now I feel pretty confident."

His goal at Highfield Road on Saturday, struck with typical power, was, he hopes, the start of a new beginning. Last night he was in action for Aston Villa against Wimbledon, making the point for Mick McCarthy that he's ready to make an important contribution to the national team's programme in the new year.

Both Kelly and Staunton are eyeing the proposed February 12th warm-up game as an ideal opportunity to relaunch their international careers. However, as yet, it is still not certain it will go ahead.

Negotiations with both the Moroccan and Egyptian Football Federations have, apparently, stalled and an offer by Ghana to play in Dublin on that date has been rejected.